Dukes of Brunswick

The duchy of Brunswick originated from the allodial estates of the House of Welf that was elevated to a duchy 1235. Through the centuries it underwent a series of partitions and mergers. A part of it was 1569 partitioned in Brunswick-Lüneburg and Brunswick-Dannenberg, these would soon be the only remaining Brunswick duchies and because Brunswick-Lüneburg changed its name to Hanover was the name Brunswick limited to  the other duchy that from 1634 was known as Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The other Brunswick states that preceded Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Hanover are listed on a separate page.

Brunswick was partitioned 1666 and 1735 in two parts whereupon the younger branch was known as Brunswick-Bevern. Brunswick was temporary united 1735 and permanently 1813. The branch of the house of Welf that had ruled Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel became extinct 1884 whereby its possessions should have been inherited by the Hanoverian branch. But because Hanover had been conquered by Prussia 1866 and its former royal house was hostile to the kings of Prussia that also were German emperors would they not become dukes until 1913. The period 1884-1913 was Brunswick therefore ruled by regents and dukes.

Brunswick-Dannenberg